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BARCELONA: Goals from Marcos Senna, Santi Cazorla and Nilmar gave Villarreal a 3-0 win at 10-man Real Zaragoza on Saturday as they trimmed the gap with second-placed Barcelona to four points in La Liga.
Champions Barca host unbeaten leaders Real Madrid at the Nou Camp on Monday (2000 GMT) and third-placed Villarreal seized their chance to cut the advantage held by the big two before the eagerly-anticipated “Clasico”.
Zaragoza, who sacked coach Jose Aurelio Gay on Nov. 18 and gave former Mexico boss Javier Aguirre the task of avoiding relegation, remain rooted to the bottom with just eight points from 13 matches.
Former Spain international Senna put the visitors ahead in the ninth minute at the Romareda with a superb half-volley that flew through a crowd of players and fizzed past goalkeeper Leo Franco into the top corner.
Cazorla added a second nine minutes later with a clever lob and Brazilian Nilmar put the game beyond Zaragoza's reach with a neat finish in the 65th.
Zaragoza defender Matteo Contini was dismissed moments before Nilmar's goal after picking up a second yellow card.
“We need to do a huge amount of work,” Aguirre, who struck the dugout in frustration after Villarreal's third goal, told a news conference.
“We have not had much time yet to work... but the reality is that we have only taken a point from two matches (since I took charge).”
LEAD SQUANDERED
Sevilla missed the chance to climb above Espanyol, Valencia and Atletico Madrid into fourth after they squandered the lead and lost 3-1 at home to mid-table Getafe.
Mali striker Frederic Kanoute put the Andalusians ahead in the 31st minute at a half-full Sanchez Pizjuan when Ivory Coast midfielder Ndri Romaric hooked the ball across the goal for his African compatriot to sidefoot past Jordi Codina.
A first-time effort from Getafe striker Miku crashed back off Andres Palop's crossbar just after the break before Manu del Moral beat the Sevilla goalkeeper from the penalty spot in the 57th and Miku added a second three minutes later.
Pedro Rios made sure of the three points when he pounced on a loose ball and smashed it high into the net in the 78th.
Atletico host Espanyol in the late game (2100). Real, who have lost the last four “Clasicos” but are riding high under new coach Jose Mourinho, lead Barca by a point with roughly a third of the season played.
